Romania's Schengen bid vetoed by the Netherlands

The legal system problems are listed among the reasons about which the EU officials complain when they speak about Romania.

And if the changes announced by the government in Bucharest could bring a plus for the much awaited report on the legal system, for the moment Romania’s entry into the European area of free movement, the so-called Schengen Area, is only a topic for debate.

The Netherlands was inflexible at yesterday’s meeting of the European Ministers of Interior and the issue of Romania and Bulgaria’s entry into Schengen was only reviewed because of the Dutch blocking.

Before the meeting, the Dutch Minister for Asylum and Immigration, Gerd Leers, stated that his country was waiting for the European Commission report in February on Romania and Bulgaria’ s legal system to learn if the results were positive and if he would support Romania and Bulgaria’s entry into Schengen Area.

The Netherlands is waiting for the report in February

The Dutch Minister notified that, in his view, there was nothing to discuss about for the moment and it would be preferable for Romania and Bulgaria to focus on real progress in reforming the legal system and fighting against corruption.

"I'm not an enemy of Bulgaria and Romania. I'm a friend of Europe. I want the people of Europe to be 100 percent sure that that no criminals and no corruption will interfere with our internal market. That is what my concern is about and that is why I ask for quality", the Dutch Minister for Asylum and Immigration, Gerd Leers, said.

He also said that the Netherlands wanted to see an irreversible progress in legal system reform and actions against corruption in the two countries and he clearly stated that the suggestion of the two-step entry into the Schengen Area was not a solution from the Netherlands’s point of view.

The heads of state or government of the EU member states said on Friday that Romania and Bulgaria had accomplished all the legal requirements to join the Schengen
Area and that the interior ministers had been asked to take that decision as soon as possible.

Since yesterday no decision was taken, the issue will be managed by the Danish Presidency, which on 1 January will take over the presidency of the European Union.

The Netherlands is expecting the European Commission report in February on the legal system of Romania and Bulgaria in order to express a new opinion.

Since no decision has been taken so far, the heads of state or government of the EU member states will discuss the issue again at the summit in March.

The compromise proposal, supported by 26 out of 27 states of the Union, apeaks about the entry of both countries into the Schengen Area in two stages: first, the Schengen Area will open its air and sea borders on 25 March next year and then a decision regarding the opening of the land borders should be taken by the Ministers of Interior on 1 July, but not later than 31 July.

Translated by: Cătălina Virvescu
MA Student, MTTLC, Bucharest University